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AUGUST 24, 2010 12:42AM
Rate: 19
After walking to every patisserie that sold French macarons during my first month in Paris, my once sensible walking shoes began to seriously malfunction. Fashionable in California but not exactly stylish in Paris, they were losing the battle with cobblestone streets and city walking. With one sole flapping in the breeze, they were clearly gasping their last breath. And given the awkwardness of encountering giggling little children and elderly women pointing at them, it was time to spring for something a little more, well, Parisian. And black.
I memorized how to say my shoe size in French and put the prettiest pink collars on the adorable, but fake Bouledogues Français, Lulu and Phoebe (they're really Boston Terriers but no one in Paris understood the translation). I’d already learned that dogs were always welcome everywhere in Paris and warmed up even the most sullen storekeeper. I was not beneath using them to get what I wanted.
Sure enough, la vendeuse des chaussures, and in fact everyone in the shoe salon greeted the dogs warmly in rapid fire French. But when I asked to see shoes in my size, the very proper elderly French saleswoman looked at me, looked down at my feet, frowned, pointed (again) and yelled out: MON DIEU! QUARANTE TRIOS!
The small shoe salon got awfully silent as every eyeball moved to my feet, which were sadly, still clad in the ugly American shoe now being licked by one bored dog. Satisfied that everyone knew the great dilemma the sales woman faced in helping the American with huge feet, she sighed loudly, and we moved up to the second floor where they apparently kept the clown-sized footwear.
She brought out an array of the ugliest shoes that not even a catalog of podiatry shoes from 1943 would have advertised. I politely rejected them all. After tossing her hands in the air, doing that rapid fire French again, which I understood far more than I wanted (big ox feet, ugly shoes will be only yours should you ever find anyone willing to sell you anything you American giant). And that was the kind part. I think she also asked Lulu and Phoebe to smell my feet, or to sell my feet. Clearly, that was lost in translation.
Finally, the shoes she began to bring out were from the downstairs public display; translation, pretty shoes. Perhaps the hideous selection was a test to see if I had a scintilla of good fashion sense which would not have been obvious given my current footwear.
Exactly 15 minutes after noon, the saleswoman started packing up the shoes and told me to pick something because she was leaving for her déjeuner. Lunch break, it seems, happens whether you have a customer or not. Though I wasn’t quite finished, to promote goodwill between the France and America, I purchased a pair of shoes. Good thing I noticed they had two more locations in Paris where I could be humiliated all over again in a new setting because I certainly wasn't going back to that store ever again.
And continuing on my quest for French macarons, we detoured on the way back to the apartment by way of La Printemps Department Store to visit Maison du Chocolat. They had just gotten in the most delicate and delicious French macaroons I’d tasted yet.
I tried to recreate the macarons when I was home in California months later. After several macaron wrecks (getting them out of the oven without any cracks on top is tricky) I came upon a different solution; meringues with filling.
These meringues are easy, inexpensive and dazzling. Each time I make these I am reminded not only of that shoe shopping day, but of both France's persistent use of Nutella on everything, and of course, Maison du Chocolat and those amazing macaroons.
The meringues are gluten free and elegant enough to serve at a party or to give as a gift; if there are any left, that is.
Nutella Meringue Drops
Ingredients
- 4 large or extra large egg whites
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup Nutella, or melted bittersweet chocolate
Directions
Preheat oven to 225. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silpats.
Crack the eggs carefully and separate the yolks from the whites. Store the yolks for another use. Pop the whites into a stand mixer or in a very large bowl and add the vanilla and almond and the salt. Whisk away on high until frothy but no peaks are formed.
Whisk the sugar with the cornstarch and with the mixer on medium speed; pour the sugar mixture in a steady stream at the edge of the bowl until it is incorporated. Scrape the bowl once with a spatula to make sure all the sugar is incorporated. Now whisk on highest speed until stiff peaks form and mixture looks glossy.
Use a pastry bag or very large Ziploc bag with a 1/2 inch tip to pipe the Meringues onto both cookie sheets, filling them – they can be placed very close together. Or use a spoon to place some on the cookie sheet and use a twist of the spoon to shape them. They should be between 1.5 and 2 inches in diameter. Either way, the recipes yields dozens.
Bake 30 minutes and rotate the baking sheets. Add about another 35 minutes to the cooking time and then turn off the oven and don't open the door! Leave them in the oven 60 minutes more. Remove and let them cool completely before handling.
While they cool, gently melt the chocolate (in a water bath or the microwave) or Nutella until spreadable. Let the mixture cool somewhat. Take two Meringues and spread a bit of Nutella or chocolate on the bottom of one cookie. Attach the other cookie. Cool the cookies completely before serving – if you can wait. Très bon!
Notes: Don't try to make them on a day when it might be humid - they probably won't dry. Keep an eye on them in the oven because while they will still taste great if the meringues brown, they won't look as pretty. Don't be tempted to open the oven door - and if you err on the side of too much time, not a problem. They might get soggy stored in plastic wrap. A storage tin is best.
Comments
I am not nearly brave enough to attempt that recipe, but it sounds amazing. Maybe I can persuade a more culinary friend to do it for me. And I think I am definitely not brave enough to shop for shoes in Paris. Yeesh.
The mental image of your flapping shoes brought to mind the rather quaint phrase, "bitches with shoes that be talkin'", which apparently is what people in certain demographics say about ladies who go around with their shoes flapping, although personally I think the phrase would be more appropriately applied to people with exceptionally fabulous footwear.
The mental image of your flapping shoes brought to mind the rather quaint phrase, "bitches with shoes that be talkin'", which apparently is what people in certain demographics say about ladies who go around with their shoes flapping, although personally I think the phrase would be more appropriately applied to people with exceptionally fabulous footwear.
Wonderful story. I am intimidated by the french macarons, but the meringue cookies and their big sister pavlova are an old stand by. I will definitely try them with nutella. Thanks for the great writing and the ' gift with purchase' recipe.
Loved this story, Lisa, you and the girls trotting around Paris for shoes--and macarons.
Ah, the many pleasures of impressing sales people with feet. Especially in France...You are so brave. Try it in Miami sometime with lovely Latinas calling their friends over for a look...Well done and a sweet for dessert as well. Woof!
One day we will go to Paris together and roll our eyes at nasty sales people and eat chocolate three meals a day. xoxo
You make your shoe shopping experience come alive! I secretly think the snootiness is a schtick the Parisians keep up to get the Americans coming back for more...
Tres enchante! xox
omg you just combined two of my favorite things: meringues AND nutella?? *swoooon* thank youuuu
Sorry, but making meringue, however tasty, will not atone for your faux pas with the shoes. It's a wonder the dogs haven't left you.
Glad you found the shoes and the meringue! R
Now I know why I've never been to Paris: I don't own fashionable shoes. Those meringues look great, but I'll have to admire them from afar. Egg whites tend to misbehave for me.
Mmm...macarons. Anything with Nutella is just amazing.
Did you go to Laduree for macarons while you were there? It's slightly more expensive, but world famous. And to die for.
Did you go to Laduree for macarons while you were there? It's slightly more expensive, but world famous. And to die for.
Lisa, those are so scrumptious looking! I love Maison du Chocolat, too.
Yum! Yum! A thousand times YUM! And I have a shoe fetish! And Paris is my favorite city in the whole world! You're my kind of girl! :-)
Okay. Those are crazy looking good.
I've always been intimidated by macaroons (and French people in general), so I admire you for taking them both on!
I used to bring Nutella and croissants in for the staff where I worked, and none of them had ever tried it. Of course, it was love at first taste, so that Christmas, I gave every employee a jar of it. It is sublime.
I used to bring Nutella and croissants in for the staff where I worked, and none of them had ever tried it. Of course, it was love at first taste, so that Christmas, I gave every employee a jar of it. It is sublime.
Bouledogues Français
Very nice. I wouldn't have believed this was real French. :-)
When my wife and I were living in Germany, we discovered that we were both at the very extremes of shoe sizes. She, who wears a 5.5 here in the States, often had to go to the children's section, and I, in a 10.5, found very little in the way of selection.
Very nice. I wouldn't have believed this was real French. :-)
When my wife and I were living in Germany, we discovered that we were both at the very extremes of shoe sizes. She, who wears a 5.5 here in the States, often had to go to the children's section, and I, in a 10.5, found very little in the way of selection.
yumm
Fun (and delicious) read. I remember before we headed to Italy I had read not to wear tennis shoes or the Italians would spot you a mile away as a tourist. Thanks god the leather clogs I brought along were comfortable to tackle the miles of walking on unsteady surfaces. Now, off to dream about those macarons....
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